Primary Menu

Archive | Naples

Are you thinking, “They visited Pompeii!” after reading that title? Well, you’d be so close… but no cigar. Indeed, Pompeii wasburied by Mt. Vesuvius’ overwhelming eruption in A.D. 79, is right outside of Naples, and is a huge tourist attraction. However, the advice of our guidebook and friends who live around Naples was: “Skip Pompeii–it’s boring, huge, hot, and there isn’t much to see–and go to Herculaneum instead.” Our guidebook said Herculaneum was a smaller town near Pompeii that was also buried by the same eruption of Vesvius, but it was discovered later and better excavated, thus meaning there is much more to see. As “visit Pompeii” was never on our bucket list of life, we swapped one out for the other.

About to descend into the ancient buried city of Herculaneum (and all Lena cares about is her pine cone).

Beautifully preserved in volcanic mud for 2,000 years.

Peering under the glass at more preserved frescoes.

“Umm, guys… I climbed into the pool but where’s the water?”

Do you like my totally funky pants? I bought them in Naples after admiring them last week on a young Italian woman. They’re like harem pants but each leg is made of two pieces of fabric and so they are slightly open on the outside of each leg. They’re super cool and comfortable, and I can definitely see them becoming a pregnancy wardrobe staple. (I also say this because I definitely look preggo in this pic!)

Lena climbed all the stairs (approximately 100) leading out of Herculaneum and up to regular ground, grunting with effort after each one. So cute.

We left the ruins and the shadow of Mt Vesuvius and drove a couple of hours south to the Amalfi Coast. Famed for its winding highway over the water that links beautiful beach towns together, this is one of the top tourist destinations in Italy. We took a break from our drive on one of the beaches and Elliott and Lena collected sea glass.

Later that evening we arrived in Amalfi, one of the most famous little towns on the Amalfi Coast. By then I was carsick from the winding road but so in love with the area! The sun was setting as we moved into our little 2-bedroom apartment and gazed out from our balcony at the peaceful town, quiet beach, and crystal clear blue water. More photos tomorrow….

Are you thinking, “They visited Pompeii!” after reading that title? Well, you’d be so close… but no cigar. Indeed, Pompeii wasburied by Mt. Vesuvius’ overwhelming eruption in A.D. 79, is right outside of Naples, and is a huge tourist attraction. However, the advice of our guidebook and friends who live around Naples was: “Skip Pompeii–it’s boring, huge, hot, and there isn’t much to see–and go to Herculaneum instead.” Our guidebook said Herculaneum was a smaller town near Pompeii that was also buried by the same eruption of Vesvius, but it was discovered later and better excavated, thus meaning there is much more to see. As “visit Pompeii” was never on our bucket list of life, we swapped one out for the other.

About to descend into the ancient buried city of Herculaneum (and all Lena cares about is her pine cone).

Beautifully preserved in volcanic mud for 2,000 years.

Peering under the glass at more preserved frescoes.

“Umm, guys… I climbed into the pool but where’s the water?”

Do you like my totally funky pants? I bought them in Naples after admiring them last week on a young Italian woman. They’re like harem pants but each leg is made of two pieces of fabric and so they are slightly open on the outside of each leg. They’re super cool and comfortable, and I can definitely see them becoming a pregnancy wardrobe staple. (I also say this because I definitely look preggo in this pic!)

Lena climbed all the stairs (approximately 100) leading out of Herculaneum and up to regular ground, grunting with effort after each one. So cute.

We left the ruins and the shadow of Mt Vesuvius and drove a couple of hours south to the Amalfi Coast. Famed for its winding highway over the water that links beautiful beach towns together, this is one of the top tourist destinations in Italy. We took a break from our drive on one of the beaches and Elliott and Lena collected sea glass.

Later that evening we arrived in Amalfi, one of the most famous little towns on the Amalfi Coast. By then I was carsick from the winding road but so in love with the area! The sun was setting as we moved into our little 2-bedroom apartment and gazed out from our balcony at the peaceful town, quiet beach, and crystal clear blue water. More photos tomorrow….

I hardly know where to start with this trip. It was so last minute and sooo unplanned. Elliott had work in Naples last week and thought that Jess, Lena, and I could come along. Of course I said yes… I always say “yes!” to traveling. We could see Naples and then spend a long weekend on the Amalfi Coast.

However, we got into our car last Tuesday morning with no maps or planned routes (just my iPhone) and the vague idea that we would drive an hour north, take the ferry from the island of Sicily to the mainland, drive approximately 6 hours north to Naples, and hopefully find lodging waiting for us. We had tried to be a little more organized, but it just didn’t happen. Two friends were staying with us almost since the moment I got back from the States and there was just no time to plan.

Unbelievably, over the course of the day everything eventually worked out. The roads were straightforward highways, the ferry was a total breeze, and our baby Lena stayed happy all 8 hours of the trip. It might have been because her mama sat next to her the entire trip (and pregnancy + back seat = carsickness for me :-/), but I give the credit to God’s grace.

Around 1pm on the road our potential reservation for that night fell through. We were hoping to stay in a gorgeous apartment in downtown Naples that we found on AirBnB.com, but the owner never responded. Thankfully, I’d made an additional reservation at the hotel on the U.S. Navy base outside of Naples where Elliott would be working that week. Although Jess and I would have preferred to be steps from Neapolitan pizzerias and gelato shops, it ended up being our only option, and I’m so glad we had that as a backup. Elliott walked 5 minutes to and from work that week while Jess, Lena, and I enjoyed the luxuries of base (grocery store, pool, and a place to buy a travel crib because we forgot ours…).

On Thursday morning Jess, Lena, and I packed up early and hit the road for Naples. We took a short bus ride and a loooong train ride (maybe we should see which city the train is going to next time?) and finally got out in crazy Naples. We spent the day on our feet in the city and I fell in love. I must go back… next time hopefully to a studio within steps of a pizzeria!

The city of Naples inventedpizza and I had been dreaming of pizza in Naples for days now. On a little side street in the Quartieri Spagnoli (Spanish Quarter) we found a teeny tiny little pizzeria. For 3 euro each, we got the pizza of our dreams.

Putting together our pizzas.

Sliding the pizzas into the wood-burning oven.

Sliding them onto plates a couple of minutes later.

And viola! The original pizza, one with fresh tomatoes and one with sauce, and both made with buffalo mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and olive oil. Truly heavenly.

Someone fell asleep!

Our gelato melted faster than we could keep up with it! Mine was dark chocolate with oranges.

I hardly know where to start with this trip. It was so last minute and sooo unplanned. Elliott had work in Naples last week and thought that Jess, Lena, and I could come along. Of course I said yes… I always say “yes!” to traveling. We could see Naples and then spend a long weekend on the Amalfi Coast.

However, we got into our car last Tuesday morning with no maps or planned routes (just my iPhone) and the vague idea that we would drive an hour north, take the ferry from the island of Sicily to the mainland, drive approximately 6 hours north to Naples, and hopefully find lodging waiting for us. We had tried to be a little more organized, but it just didn’t happen. Two friends were staying with us almost since the moment I got back from the States and there was just no time to plan.

Unbelievably, over the course of the day everything eventually worked out. The roads were straightforward highways, the ferry was a total breeze, and our baby Lena stayed happy all 8 hours of the trip. It might have been because her mama sat next to her the entire trip (and pregnancy + back seat = carsickness for me :-/), but I give the credit to God’s grace.

Around 1pm on the road our potential reservation for that night fell through. We were hoping to stay in a gorgeous apartment in downtown Naples that we found on AirBnB.com, but the owner never responded. Thankfully, I’d made an additional reservation at the hotel on the U.S. Navy base outside of Naples where Elliott would be working that week. Although Jess and I would have preferred to be steps from Neapolitan pizzerias and gelato shops, it ended up being our only option, and I’m so glad we had that as a backup. Elliott walked 5 minutes to and from work that week while Jess, Lena, and I enjoyed the luxuries of base (grocery store, pool, and a place to buy a travel crib because we forgot ours…).

On Thursday morning Jess, Lena, and I packed up early and hit the road for Naples. We took a short bus ride and a loooong train ride (maybe we should see which city the train is going to next time?) and finally got out in crazy Naples. We spent the day on our feet in the city and I fell in love. I must go back… next time hopefully to a studio within steps of a pizzeria!

The city of Naples inventedpizza and I had been dreaming of pizza in Naples for days now. On a little side street in the Quartieri Spagnoli (Spanish Quarter) we found a teeny tiny little pizzeria. For 3 euro each, we got the pizza of our dreams.

Putting together our pizzas.

Sliding the pizzas into the wood-burning oven.

Sliding them onto plates a couple of minutes later.

And viola! The original pizza, one with fresh tomatoes and one with sauce, and both made with buffalo mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and olive oil. Truly heavenly.

Someone fell asleep!

Our gelato melted faster than we could keep up with it! Mine was dark chocolate with oranges.